ABOUT

11-1-2010

     These few words from me are well overdue but I guess now is as good a time as any. I want and need to establish my purpose and intentions of this web site.
     First and foremost my research is for the pure joy of it. As many in genealogy work find out it can become an addiction. The joy of finding one bit of information you did not know just makes you want to find something else. Soon it becomes that endless journey you can never seem to get away from. We just don't want to stop.
     Second, genealogy research is just like any other research. If you don't pass it along it is just a way to occupy your own time and isn't worth much. If you find the treasure trove of information .... Wonderful!! Let others know!!! Did you say you just have bits and pieces?.....Wonderful!!! Those "bits and pieces are all important. One of those bits and pieces may be just what someone else is looking for!!! Pass them on.
     Many of my aunts, uncles and cousins started this research over 60 years ago and put this in book form starting in 1982. The only thing they did not do was to keep good records of where the information came from. That is where I am concentrating my efforts. I am doing my best to find the background behind their research and for now I am focusing on the early years of their time in this country. I know I can only do so much. I just don't want my research to go for nothing. I want information I have found to get into the hands of other researchers. Maybe you can do something with it that I couldn't.
    More and more every day records are being archived in ways that make our research easier. Many more records every day are being made available on the Internet for our easy access. This does not say we never have to go to the courthouse or any other hall of records but even there those records are being organized better for those looking for them. There is so much that we all can and need to learn about our families. Maybe you want it all; to know where we come from, how we got here and what happened along the way. Sometimes it is in very important ways such as family health history which can keep us aware of health issues that may be in our lineage such as heart disease or certain types of cancer. Maybe you just want a couple generations. Don't discount yours or anybody's reasoning for family research. The most important thing is to cross-reference all records or information you find to make sure you have reached the correct conclusions.
     For me I hope to inspire other family members to also pick up and continue this family research in their own way and then pass it on to someone else. What better way for me then through this web site. Already I have reached family members across the country that I never knew existed or only knew them as a name on a page of my research.
     For the record I am trying to present information I have found in a way so others can tie it in with whatever area they may be researching. I am starting with the first generation in this country and will work my way down from there. I don't want anyone to think I am the final word on what is published here. As you can see in the posts there are a lot of open areas. If you can fill a hole, let me know and I will put it out there for others to see. Please take any of the records and information presented and use them and as you need to for your own research and pass it on to someone else if you can. Let me know how your research is going, what you think about anything in my posts, questions you have or different angles you are researching or what you are looking for. Maybe I can help you or you can help me. Comments are always welcome.
     With a couple more posts I will come to the end of the third generation of the Abe Family in this country. At that time I will begin adding links for actual copies of all the source records listed on the posts. These links are found under the "Sources" tab. You will be able to use your computer to zoom in on certain areas of a record to see it better or even make a copy for yourself.
     Good luck on your research. Hope it is as enjoyable as mine.

Michael Abe
GGG Grandson of John Adam and Annie Catherine Abe